


Every Time That I Return

by missberrycake



Series: Learning To Walk Again [2]
Category: Inception (2010), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-18
Updated: 2012-04-18
Packaged: 2017-11-03 21:35:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/386211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missberrycake/pseuds/missberrycake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Arthur and Eames try to trick the God of mischief. It doesn't go well.</p><p>This is a sequel to my story <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/369114">Getting Good at Starting Over</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Time That I Return

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is a stupid plan, and wouldn’t work in real life. Well. Let’s take real life out of the equation, but I don’t for a minute think Loki would fall for this (even though Eames is awesome). It was just fun to write, right? :)
> 
> Also – sorry for leaving Hawkeye and Black Widow out of the actual dream. I don’t really know anything about these two, so I figured rather than destroy the characters completely, I could leave them off screen!

Arthur craned his neck to look right to the top of the imposing building. 

“So, tell me again, they know where Loki spends his time, but they don’t just storm it because...?”

Arthur scowled at Eames. “Weren’t you listening at all?”

Eames put on a faux-affronted expression. “Of course I was, darling, I just enjoy hearing of Stark’s failures.” 

Arthur sighed, “Fine. They know where he lives, but they can’t attack him here because he’s a demi-God, he’s got kick-ass magical powers and a monster army that follows his every whim.”

“And?”

“And, pure force isn’t going to cut it.”

“So what you mean to say is, that the avenging Avengers tried to barge the door down and failed, and now we have to try to sweet talk our way in to an evil, conspiring God’s house, using only our impressive wit and intellect?” Eames stared at him lightly, eyebrows raised.

Arthur breathed deeply, “Does it get tiring, dragging that ego around everywhere you go?” Arthur could hear Eames smirk as he walked about the large marble steps and knocked on the door.

“Arthur, you wound me.” Eames walked lightly up the steps to join him. 

“I’m sure I do.” Arthur’s heart beat a little faster as he heard faint steps inside the building. “You know the plan?” he asked softly.

Eames replied confidently, “I know the plan” moments before the door opened in front of them.

~

Loki cast a steely glare across the room as Arthur and Eames walked across the vast space towards him. Their footsteps echoed loudly in Arthur’s ears. 

“If you come here to try and deceive me, you will soon regret it.”

Arthur felt a shudder of panic run through him. This can’t work, he thought, this is the God of Mischief for pity’s sake. Loki would see right through them. 

“We’re not foolish enough to lie to you. You’re a God.” Eames voice filled the room, “We merely come to offer our services.” Eames nodded his head respectfully towards Loki and Arthur relaxed slightly when he saw Loki lean forward, intrigued. 

“And what could two mortals possibly have to offer me that I could not find myself?” Loki spoke, eyes glued on Eames. Arthur swallowed dryly. 

“An opportunity.”

Loki smirked, “You’ll have to be more specific, midgardian. I may have magic, but I am no mind reader. An opportunity for what?”

Eames stepped forward, “To beat the Avengers at their own game.” Eames glanced towards Arthur. “We were approached by SHIELD to–”

“I know of your meeting with the Avengers. Do you really believe I do not have eyes at SHIELD headquarters?” Loki interrupted, with a commanding voice. 

“No, quite.” Arthur saw Eames’ chest rise and fall as the forger took a deep breath before speaking, “We think you might be able to offer us a better deal, when you see what we have.”

Eames turned towards him and Arthur walked forward to Loki, setting the PASIV he carried with him down on top of a large stone desk near Loki’s chair. Loki eyed him as Arthur opened the device and stood up to investigate closer, cape billowing behind him.

“Explain it.”

Eames quickly strode up to the table to join Loki and Arthur. “It’s a PASIV device. It allows you to experience shared dreams. It can be used to extract information from somebody’s subconscious, or even implant an idea, if you know how.” 

Loki examined the device for several moments, deep in concentration. Arthur chanced a look at Eames, who gave him a quick smile back.

“What was the Avengers plan, then? For you two to use this on me and alter my thoughts? They were foolish enough to believe I could be so easily controlled?” Loki spoke, with anger cutting into each word.

“That was their idea, yes, but we thought differently. Arthur and I want to offer you our services with the PASIV in turn for respected positions, when you take power,” Eames spoke for the both of them. They had agreed previously that Eames would do most of the talking. Arthur was a passable con-man, but a situation like this required only the best.

“You would double cross the precious Avengers and SHIELD? Does not by brother inspire loyalty?”

Arthur found himself speaking, “We like to be on the winning team. Right now, that is not with your brother and the Avengers.”

Loki cocked his head to one side and glared at Arthur. “Right now” he agreed. 

Loki stepped back from both Arthur and Eames and smiled. It would have made him look more innocent if not for the evil glint in his eye. “Alright, let us see what you can do.”

~

Arthur paused for a moment, gazing down at the two figures, Eames and Loki, lying on two regal looking loungers. 

He really didn’t like the idea of Eames being alone with Loki in his subconscious for too long. 

Better get this plan into action, then, he thought to himself. He moved quickly away from the dreamers and headed directly for the front of the building. He pulled the heavy wooden door open, the dragging on the floor abnormally loud in the empty building. 

And there they were. The Avengers. Arthur levelled his gaze as Captain America lead the intimidating pack into the building. The Captain – Steve, he had asked Arthur to call him Steve – nodded at Arthur and then it hit him. They could do this. He and Eames were two of the best in the world with the PASIV, with these guys at their back, they couldn’t fail. Surely. 

Arthur watched Steve, Thor, Bruce, Hawkeye and Black Widow step past him as Tony, clad in his suit, shut the door, blocking out the light. 

“You got baby to sleep yet?” Stark smirked. 

Arthur turned to him as he guiding the group back to Eames and Loki were dreaming. Ignoring the barb, he responded, “Why are you wearing your suit? You won’t be doing any fighting up top, everything will be happening in his subconscious. Weren’t you listening?”

“Right, because I’m just going to stroll in to Loki’s evil lair completely unprotected. I thought you were supposed to be smart?”

They walked up to where Loki’s body lay, still and vulnerable. “You realise you’re talking to the man that got your arch enemy alone and defenceless in one go, right? How long have you been trying this?”

“Well, mind and body are two different things, pal.”

“Aren’t they just?”

Steve stepped up beside them. “Guys. Play nice.”

Arthur shrugged and spoke to the room, “Right, all those going under grab a line and plug yourselves in, just like we practiced. Clint, Natasha keep us safe, alright?”

~

Arthur blinked rapidly against his new surroundings. His breath rose in a mist before him. The remaining Avengers gathered around him.

Steve spoke first, “Thor, you know your brothers mind best, what is this place?”

A look of distress passed quickly over Thor’s stoic face. “It is Jotunheim, one of the Nine Realms I spoke of. It is the home of the Frost Giants.”

Bruce laughed softly, “So this is what an alien planet looks like? Wow.”

Tony walked over, suit spewing mechanical noise that felt at odds with the bare surroundings. “I thought you said Loki tried to destroy the Frost Giants? Why would he dream of being here?”

Arthur walked forward. They needed to find Eames and Loki sooner rather than later. “Sometimes the subconscious does funny things. Let’s get moving.”

They had been walking for too long when they heard the sound of two voices drifting over the rocks. Steve waved them all over to crouch behind a raised rock bed. 

“Hey, Arthur. What are they doing down there?” Captain America nodded at Eames and Loki below. The two men were, it seemed, just standing and talking.

“He’s still training him. Giving him lessons about how to change the environment and the architecture. It takes quite a while to master.” 

Up until this point Loki had been facing away, talking to Eames, but at that moment he turned and brought his arm up, to point at something to one side. 

Tony whistled, “That’s new.” 

The Loki talking to Eames was entirely blue. Arthur pulled his confused gaze away from the scene below to look at Thor, but the mythical God was already crawling over the rocks towards his brother. 

“This isn’t going to end well,” Bruce mumbled as Loki and Eames turned towards Thor running down the slope. 

“Brother!” Thor roared, “What is this new trickery?”

Arthur made a move to follow him down, but Steve placed a hand on his arm. “Let’s see how it plays.” Arthur turned his head sharply to follow the confrontation. 

“Thor?” As realisation dawned on Loki his face twisted into a deadly snarl. “You!” he pointed at Eames, “You deceived me! You thought this would work? You dare to try and ensnare me?” He laughed softly, “Tell me, have far exactly did you imagine you would get? You pathetic human.” 

With that Loki swung his staff towards the stunned Eames, the bright blue light hurling Eames into the air. Arthur stared, horror struck, as Eames landed with a crash several metres to the right of him, limbs dragging slowly when he tried to sit up. 

In the same amount of time it took for Arthur to run over to Eames, Thor and Loki were fighting proper. From the corner of his eye Arthur could see flashes of blue and gold light accompany the animalistic roars of battle. He looked back momentarily when he saw flashes of red sprint past him, Captain America and Iron Man joining the fight. 

“Eames? Eames, are you okay?”

Eames let out a low groan, “Yeah. I think so. Probably shouldn’t be moving too far from this spot, though.”

“Jesus. This is a complete disaster.”

“Yeah, well at least no actual damage is being down this time.”

Arthur helped Eames to shift back to lean against a boulder when Bruce jogged up to them and crouched beside the still grimacing Eames. 

“Doctor.” Eames nodded in welcome. 

“Dr Banner. What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be...” Arthur cocked his head in the general direction of the fight still raging below.

Bruce huffed out a laugh, “Well, I would, but I don’t seem to be able.” He smiled and looked slightly guilty. “My heart rate’s right up, I can feel it, but nothing’s happening. It must be because of the dream state.” He turned back towards the battle, “I don’t think I’ll be much help to them like this.”

“Okay.” Arthur grabbed Eames’ shoulder, “Eames, we need to do something, before this gets out of control. The original Inception plan is totally out of the picture. You’re the architect, right? Can you give the guys a hand?”

Bruce looked hopefully down at Eames, who returned a weary gaze. “I don’t think I should, Arthur. If I change anything his projections are going to rip us to shreds. I’ve no idea what that maniac’s mind might conjure up.”

Arthur tightened his hold on Eames’ shoulder. “This is what we do, Eames, this is why they asked for our help. You have to try, the projections are coming anyway.”

Eames let out a slow breath, sagging a little more into the ground below. “Alright, here goes nothing.” His expression turned to one of great concentration. 

A tremendous noise filled the air behind them and Bruce stared wide-eyed over Arthur’s shoulder. The ground shook violently and Arthur was tipped over, granting him a full view of the dust-filled carnage below. 

Eames had caused a close by mound of enormous boulders to spill down the sparse landscape. As the dust settled Arthur could see that Loki had been separated from his staff, which Steve was now holding, and had knocked down by the fast onslaught of boulders. 

Arthur, Eames and Bruce looked on as Steve and Tony stepped away from the brothers. The blue skinned Loki freed himself from the rubble and let out a strangled cry. Thor walked slowly towards the other man and offered him his hand. 

The tension in the dreamscape disappeared as Loki reached out and took Thor’s hand in his own, his flesh slowly turning back to its previous pale tone. 

The silence that followed was all too soon interrupted by a low rumble as the ground began to shake once more.

Eames cringed. “... and here come the projections.” He sighed, “Of course, they would be bloody giants, wouldn’t they? Buckle up, gents.” 

Arthur grimaced and curled in on himself as a hoard of blue giants, brandishing ice-daggers bore down on them. 

~

Arthur awoke to the phantom ache of a trampled body. Sitting up more slowly than usual he spotted Natasha and Clint pointing their weapons at something to his left. He followed the point of Hawkeye’s arrow to see Loki standing up slowly from his lounger. 

Thor stood more quickly. “It’s alright. I’ll stay behind here and open up some lines of negotiation with my brother.” He gave Loki a hopeful look. The other man did not speak, but inclined his head slightly, before casting a look of disdain over the collection of them and leaving the room, cloak billowing behind him.

Thor approached Arthur and Eames were they both still sat. “Thank you, both of you. Your work here will not be forgotten. Stories will be told of midgardian dreams in the halls of Asgard for generations to come.” 

Arthur watched as he left the hall after his brother and breathed in deep. After sharing a befuddled look with Eames the two packed away the PASIV and followed the remaining Avengers out of the door as fast as they could.

~

“That wasn’t so bad, you know,” Eames spoke up, hours later when Arthur was driving them back to their hotel.

Arthur smiled. “I suppose it could’ve gone worse.” He looked sideways at Eames, “Could’ve gone a whole lot better as well.”

“We got the right result though. Loki backed down.”

“I’m not sure we had anything to do with that, Eames. Those guys have got some severe family issues to work on.”

Eames hummed as he stared at the street passing by the window. “Stark was impressed in the end at least, even said as much. Although I think it might’ve physically hurt him to do it.” Eames paused, “I’m not sure it did much good for Mr America.”

“No?” Arthur asked, bending the car around a tight corner.

“No. He asked me just before we left about borrowing the PASIV. He said it would be nice to spend a few hours back in the 40’s. I said I couldn’t lend it out, but I wouldn’t have anyway. I reckon that poor sod would get properly lost in himself.”

Arthur considered this for a moment. “You know, Dr Banner asked me something similar. He wanted to do some experiments to see if he could use the Somnacin to help him with his little rage problem.”

Eames looked surprised, “His little rage problem? You think that would work?”

Arthur shrugged, “Might do. I left him a few vials to work with. You never know.”

Eames stared out of the front window of the car for several moments. “I hope it does. He was a nice chap.”

Arthur laughed. “Yeah. I’m sure that’s the image they’re going for, ‘The Avengers – thoroughly nice chaps’.”

“I’m sure they’ve been called worse, Arthur.”

“Yeah, by you mostly.”

Eames grinned as they pulled into the hotel car park, “Old habits, darling, they die hard.”


End file.
